by R. W.Mahathiththa had turned into a bustling,
cosmopolitan commercial hub by around the fifth century BC with foreign traders from both
worlds converging to trade goods.

The hive of activity however,
did not confine to the coastal areas. As Anuradhapura was easily accessible from
Mahathiththa along the Malvatu river bank, evidence suggests that trade had expanded into
the city of Anuradhapura. Coins of 400 BC of the Ganges valley had been found in
Anuradhapura. And due to the expanding commercial network as well as the necessity to
sustain those involved in trade, the Mahathiththa-Arippu-Anuradhapura triangle had turned
into a highly commercialised and a densely populated area attracting navigators, migrants,
craftsmen, industrialists, suppliers of goods, tax-collectors, security-personnel and
administrators as well. This area had also served as a zone where trade-routes as well as
information pertaining to trade secrets, weather and sailing patterns were exchanged when
navigators and traders hung around while ships were being serviced in the ports or
trade-deals were finalised.

Former Commissioner, Archaeology, Dr. Sirhan Deraniyagala says that in the
Anuradhapura city, an area was demarcated for traders and Mahavamsa speaks of a
trading-community living in an area allocated by King Elara outside the city. A
"Damila" was the leader of this trading-community. Mention is also made of 4
main gates in the Anuradhapura city connected to the main roads - Mahatheertha on the
Northwest direction, Jambukola on the north, Gonagamapatana (Trincomalee) on the east and
the other towards Mahakandara port.

Mahavamsa relates of Suranimala, Dutugamunus giant-general arriving
in Anuradhapura from Magama before Dutugamunus conquest of Rajarata to meet Kundala,
the trader who had gone to Anuradhapura at the time to buy perfume. Even sophisticated
merchandise therefore had been sold over the counter before 161 BC. Anuradhapura had thus
been an urbanised, bustling commercial centre long before Dutugamunu conquered Rajarata.

Taxes

With economy in full bloom by around 300-250 BC, taxes had formed an
important component in the Anuradhapura administrative-structure. Early records reveal
that kings of Anuradhapura posted customs-officers to the ports to collect taxes from
foreign traders. Taxes were specified according to the tracing-product. Mention had been
made of a specific tax charged for elephants when exported.

A rock inscription mentions of mawatu laddan which probably refers to
those who were responsible for Mahathiththa Port or customs-officers posted at this port.
Nayantivu inscription mentions of a tax imposed on navigators that allowed ships that
needed repair, to enter the ports.

Both chronicles and rock inscriptions mention of a post called
Bhandagaraka that existed in early Anuradhapura era. With a tax-system in operation, the
need for a Bhandagaraya or a Treasury may have arisen to keep accounts. The person holding
the post of Ganaka as mentioned in rock inscriptions, may have been responsible for the
keeping of accounts of the Treasury. Mention is also made of Adeka probably Adhyakshaka
(Director) and of Panara Adeka (Director of Finance in all probability) to manage the
growing and diversifying economy.

And with the economy rolling, transport inevitably had become a vital
sector that needed to be administered as we see from the following designations: Sivka
Adeka  Authority or Director of Palanquins and other Vehicles, Athi Adeka -
Authority on Elephants and Asa Adeka-Director/Horses.

The introduction of Buddhism in the third century BC caused the arts and
crafts turned out by ancient artisans to gain further finess. Emperor Asoka sent 18 groups
(castes) of people who indulged in 18 kinds of crafts from the subcontinent along with
Theri Sanghamitta. The result was a fusion of traditions which set new aesthetic
standards. This in turn may have impacted on the economy as exports confined to exquisite
items.

And with Anuradhapura becoming a leading centre of Buddhism in Asia, the
seaports also played a key role in the propagation of Buddhism. The Mahavihara in
Anuradhapura, considered as the all-important centre of Buddhist Teaching enjoying
University status was, according to ancient literature the venue of advanced discourses on
Buddhism. This institution as well as Abhayagiri in the later years of the millennium BC,
attracted many religious scholars, dignitaries and emissaries especially from the Indian
subcontinent for scholastic dhamma studies while the pious arrived seeking spiritual
attainment in the sacred city of Anuradhapura. Therefore, while Anuradhapura reached the
peak in Buddhist activity in the first millennium BC, the two-fold economy of Rajarata,
based on trade and agriculture, thrived on the other side of the scale.

Whereas, the economy of Ruhuna, was largely agriculture-based with trade
playing a lesser role. An inscription in the South mentions of an Order given by Gotabhaya
- the father of Kavantissa that taxes earned in the port - Godavaya should be used to
upkeep the nearby Viharaya. During Gotabhayas reign in Magampura, goods had been
imported and exported with taxes imposed on them but evidence of trade-activities in these
ports had been evidently far less than in the ports of the northwestern coast. However,
navigators of the silk and the spice routes probably stopped over at Godavaya port for
want of servicing of their naval vessels when trading may have taken place.

Foreign Invasions

Therefore, while the high-profile economy and the religious significance
of Anuradhapura made Rajarata the most prized kingdom that made rulers such as Dutugamunu
and Valagamba restless until they conquered it, the thriving economy also beckoned
migrants, invaders to the island. Throughout Sri Lankas ancient history, we find
invaders from the states of Chola, Pandya, Madhura end Kalinga arriving in Sri Lanka to
seize power, through the gateway in the Northwestern coast.

History however, does not record of such invasions when there was
political stability under kings such as Pandukabhaya, Devanmpiyatissa, Dutugamunu and
Bhatika Abhaya.

Although there had been a severe lapse of defensive measures taken at the
entry points in the Northwestern coast, the favourite strategy adopted by many kings to
prevent foreign invasions was to seek marriage with the Royal families of India.

Mahavamsa records the first political marriage in history as that of
Vijaya who brought a Pandyan princess from Madhurapura to be his Queen. His Royal Court
advised him to enter into marriage with royalty as this was a requirement for the royal
abhisheka ceremony (coronation). The other reason may have been to befriend a possible
invader or to receive assistance in case of invasion from another South Indian kingdom.
Mahavamsa mentions of Vijaya sending costly gifts - shell pearls from the shallow seas off
the Northwest to the Pandyan King. Was it to exhibit the riches of his kingdom and if he
was not ruling a wealthy state, would the Pandyan king have sent his daughter to Sri
Lanka?

Panduvasdev (504-474 BC), Vijayas nephew who succeeded him, too
married an Indian princess, Bhaddakachchana of kshatriya caste. Six of her brothers
followed the sister to Sri Lanka. Once again, is it pertinent to ask that if there was no
economic prosperity, would the brothers have followed the sister? The kshatriya brothers
who set foot in the Dambakola Patuna, set up their own independent kingdoms in the east
contributing to the agricultural and cultural development of the area in pursuit of what
was most likely a sound economy.

Pandukabhaya  pioneer engineer

The king who made the greatest impact on Sri Lankan economy in the first
millennium BC however was Pandukabhaya (437-407 BC). The first indigenous king of Lanka,
he was the first to wage a war and bring the country under one rule. Identified as the
islandpioneer hydraulic engineer, he built the first massive tank - Abhayawewa launching a
hydraulic civilisation that continued to enrich the economy for centuries. He thereafter
imposed a systematic revenue system on the farmers who irrigated their land using water of
this tank and imposed a tax on the traders.

Under an accelerated economy, Pandukabhaya deemed it necessary to set up
three administrative divisions in the island to ease administration and divided the
country into 3 divisions - Pihiti Ruhuna and Dhakshina (which later became Maya) using
Mahaweli and Deduru rivers as its boundaries, a division that lasted through many
centuries.

Dr. Deraniyagala reveals that Anuradhapura was a bustling commercial
centre long before the reign of Pandukabhaya. Therefore, Pandukabhayas historically
significant landmark decision to officially shift the Capital City from Panduvasnuwara to
Anuradhapura, may not have seemed strange at the time.

Devanampiyatissa, following his ancestors footsteps, built the
second giant tank - Tisawewa in Anuradhapura. His genius however, was as a strategist. To
prevent invasions from the southern states of India, he befriended Emperor Asoka by
sending emissaries with precious gifts and requesting him to send the necessary regalia
for his abbisheka ceremony. There is no proof to say that this action of King
Devanampiyatissa was to demonstrate his allegiance to the mighty Mauryan monarch. But it
was certainly a ploy to strengthen his rule and to seek the Emperors assistance in
case of any invasions from southern Indian states. The result was the introduction of
Buddhism to Sri Lanka which changed the entire course of Sri Lankas history.

His brothers however who succeeded him, did not possess his strategic
foresight. The reign of Suratissa (274-237 BC), came to en end when Chola adventurers -
Sena and Guththika, the horse-traders, ended up as rulers for 22 years from 237-215 BC.

King Asela, Devanampiyatissas youngest brother, chased them away but
barely ten years later, the Chola prince - Elara from the Pandyan state invaded and ruled
Rajarata from 205-161 BC - for 44 years, which proves that the Sinhala kings did not
realize that invasions had to be expected when economy flourished. These invasions
affected the economy of Rajarata in the later years of the first millennium BC and ancient
records also mention of an epidemic that occurred in the second century BC which led monks
to leave Anuradhapura.

Mahavamsa describes these invaders as "Damila." The panellists
of a popular tv show pointed out that at the time there was no "Damila" kingdom
in India. Mahavamsa used the common name "Damila" to describe invaders and
traitors but the word did not mean Tamil as it is meant today. Mahavamsa for example
describes Dheeghagamini - a son of a lesser Queen of Kavantissa as a "Damila".
Dheeghagamini was sent to guard a strategic point in the Mahaweli bank by Kavantissa but
he decamped and joined Elaras Army. In the inscriptions however, the word
"Damila" had not been used to describe invaders or traitors.

Even during the reign of the much celebrated Dutugamunu, Elaras
nephew Bhalluka arrived from South India with an army to be however defeated by the highly
motivated, Dutugamunu army. It should be noted that Dutugamunus war-march from
Magama to Anuradhapura lasted 3 years and the attack on fort Vijithapura took 6 months.
Therefore, Elara may have sensed the seriousness of the threat posed by Dutugamunu and
made a request for assistance. Dutugamunu however was unaware of Bhallukas arrival
until he arrived at his doorstep but annihilated Bhallukas army at Kolombahalaka
where Bhalluka had set up camp. No other invader dared challenge Dutugamunu thereafter,
whose reign was marked with political stability, a spectacular religious upliftment and
economic prosperity.

Diplomatic mission

Yet, just 34 years after Dutugamunus reign, five South Indian
invaders, lured by the prosperity, succeeded in capturing and reigning Rajarata for 14
years from 103-89 BC until King Valagamba recaptured it - an occurance that continued
throughout the first millennium AD and finally forced Sinhala kings to shift the capital
to Polonnaruwa.

The economy however drummed back and the high-point at the close of the
first millennium BC in the Anuradhapura-administration was the reign of King Bhatika
Abhaya (20 BC-09 AD). With the economy thriving during his reign he desired to penetrate
further afield and making a bold decision, sent diplomatic missions across high seas to
the mighty Roman Court and other regional kingdoms.

Roman historian Pliny had found the audience the four Lankan ambassadors
had with Emperor Claudius and the information of the island as related by these emissaries
as worthy of being recorded. Pliny had documented that the mission was sent to Rome with a
navigator who had been stranded on Sri Lankan shores and had been granted permission to
reside here with the status of a privileged person.

What one can however assume of this recorded mission is that King Bhatika
Abhayas emissaries were probably expected to explore new markets and of other goods
that were in demand in the outside world. With Romans already importing luxury goods, the
delegation may have been commissioned especially to seek further items for which there was
a demand in the Roman kingdom, as would a trade-delegation. Nevertheless, documentation of
the visit by a historian of the most powerful nation at the time  Rome, serves as en
enlightening piece of historical material of an illustrious era at a time when sound
economy and political stability prevailed at the highest levels.